


Another Adventure

by PunsBulletsAndPointyThings



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Character death but not, Fluff, I could have sworn this was longer when I wrote it...., M/M, olllllllddddddd Bilbo, post LOTR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 08:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2143248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunsBulletsAndPointyThings/pseuds/PunsBulletsAndPointyThings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yes, Bilbo thinks, it is time for Mad Old Baggins to have one final adventure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Adventure

Another adventure. Oh yes, Bilbo thought, as he lay on his cot in his small chamber of the elven ship, this would be quite the adventure, and one that was exhaustingly long overdue. The old hobbit heaved a great sigh. He felt so old, so very old, now that the ring’s power over him had faded.  
‘Well then, no surprise there’ Bilbo thought, chuckling softly to himself, ‘you are 131, you old fool, an obscenely old age, older than Old Took.’ He chuckled again. ‘Who would have thought it, hmm? Certainly not the neighbours, not with all that foolish adventuring I did.’ Another chuckle slipped from his old throat, but it quickly disintegrated into coughs that wracked his body, making his withered frame shake.  
The door opened as he coughed, revealing the face of Gandalf.  
  
“Bilbo, is all well?” The wizard asked, as he crossed the room to sit on the end of Bilbo’s cot, white robes sliding silently along the white wood floor. He placed a hand on the old hobbit’s shoulder, a slight frown creasing his ancient face. Bilbo shook his head, waving away the Maiar’s hand.  
“I’m fine Gandalf, I’m fine. Just a cough, that’s all.” Gandalf raised an eyebrow, and Bilbo the sighed.  
“As always, you see through me, Old Friend.” Gandalf smiled wryly.  
“Indeed Bilbo. Though,” Mischief sparkled in Gandalf’s grey eyes, “Admittedly, you do not make it a difficult task.” Bilbo chuckled.  
“Perhaps not, perhaps not...” He trailed off, staring off at the wooden wall of the cabin, leaving the room in silence. After a time, he spoke.  
“I am old, Gandalf. Older than the last time I said such I thing, and I do believe, that my time has come.” He sighed again, lying back down, his old body protesting loudly at the action.  
Gandalf nodded slowly. “I see. Shall I inform the others when the time comes?”  
“Might as well.” Bilbo smiled ruefully.  
“Gandalf?”  
The wizard looked up from lighting his pipe and over at the elderly hobbit.  
“Yes Bilbo?”  
“Don’t let Frodo grieve too much hmm? The lad doesn’t need that now.”  
Gandalf nodded. “I shall do my best.”  
“And you’ll keep an eye on him for me? Yavanna knows he can take care of himself, but never the less...”  
“Of course.”  
  
Silence filled the cabin once again.  
“Thank you Gandalf.” Bilbo’s voice was softer now, breathier. Gandalf looked over, one brow raised, and exhaled a puff of smoke in the shape of a songbird.  
“Whatever for, Old Friend?”  
“For forcing a stubborn old hobbit out of his hole and into a crazy adventure that Mahal knows he needed, even if he didn’t know it himself.”  
A soft smile tugged at Gandalf’s lips, and he patted one of Bilbo’s blanket covered legs.  
“You are very welcome, Bilbo Baggins of Bag End.”  
  
Bilbo smiled.  
“It’s time, I think, for the last great adventure of Mad Old Bilbo Baggins.”  
As his eyes slide closed, Gandalf’s voice slide to his ears, like a puff of soft grey smoke from a pipe.  
“Say hello to your King for me.”  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Bilbo’s eyes open once again, he is surrounded by a murmuring darkness.  
“What’s that then?”  
“Not a dwarf, by any stretch.”  
“I’ve seen more hair on a suckling babe.”  
“What’s it doing here then?”  
Blinking as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the seemingly never ending dark, Bilbo pushed himself up into a sitting position, and realized with a start that for the first time in over two decades, such an action caused him no pain. Holding his hands up in front of his face, a slow smile spread over Bilbo’s face, and he stared at the wrinkle free skin before his eyes.  
“Gandalf, you sly old...” he murmured, grinning, “You knew, didn’t you.”  
  
“Bilbo!”  
“Mr. Boggins!”  
  
Bilbo’s head shot up, his eyes widening at the sight of two dwarves running full speed towards him.  
“Fili! Kili!”  
They flew at him, and the three fell back in a tangle of limbs, braids, and laughter.  
“It is so good to see you boys!” Bilbo exclaimed, laughing as he held him close. Yavanna above, how he had missed the two young dwarves. He pressed kisses to their forehead, and swiped the back of his hand across his eyes, wiping away tears of happiness.  
  
“We’ve missed you too Bilbo! We all have.” Kili grinned. He and Fili pulled away, and Fili offered his hand to Bilbo, pulling the hobbit to his feet. Both brothers’ eyes were sparkling, and twin grins were directed at the burglar.  
“In fact-“  
“there is someone-“  
“who missed you-“  
“most of all!” Kili finished triumphantly, and both brothers moved aside to reveal a figure, pushing their way through the crowd of curious dwarves who had gathered. The figure broke through the crowd, and Bilbo’s breath caught in his throat.  
“Thorin.”  
  
Thorin Oakenshield swept forwards, engulfing the hobbit in a tight embrace. Bilbo felt tear well up in his eyes as he breathed in that oh so familiar and yet almost forgotten Yavanna it had been so, so long, scent that was all Thorin. The hobbit knew not how long they stayed like that, but when they finally broke the embrace, they were surrounded by the other members of the company, all of whom were cheering and calling out. A huge smile lit up Bilbo’s face as Thorin stared intently at him before, before grinning.  
“You certainly took your time getting here, Master Burglar.” Bilbo laughed, tears of joy sliding down his cheek, and stretched up on his toes to kiss the dwarf — his dwarf.  
“I was on an adventure, and got a bit lost.”


End file.
